Class of 1987 – Pontiac Pursuit Concept

The transition from the pastel hues and synth-beat party-hard Eighties into the somewhat darker and more serious future of the Nineties was not met with great enthusiasm by all. The 1987 Paul Verhoeven classic, Robocop, presented a greed-fueled future where corrupt corporate executives ruled over urban decay, demoralized citizens, and a collapsed economy. Technology served up flawed terror like the Enforcement Droid Series 209 machine-gun-toting robot, ready to incinerate you for illegal parking. Robocop, a Ford Taurus, and some sweet targeting saved us all so we never quite reached that movie version of the future.

Pontiac was right there with Robocop in 1987 with the Pursuit Concept. While certainly futuristic from an exterior design standpoint, it is the ergonomic and technological features of this concept car that really did foretell the future. Drive-by-wire steering is now fairly common. Self-adjusting suspensions are here. ABS brakes and traction control are old news. Full-time all-wheel drive is everywhere. There’s more future inside, with onboard GPS with night mode, a sophisticated comlink with conferencing, and more telling – what appears to be a smart phone looking device with earbuds that docks into the headrest while not in use.

The Pontiac Pursuit was to be powered by a 200hp turbocharged 16-valve 2-liter four-cylinder engine that shifted through a Getrag five-speed manual transmission. While Pontiac isn’t around anymore to build the Pursuit or get into it with Apple and Samsung over the seat docking phone-like device, we think that particular technological innovation is probably one of the two color televisions built into the passenger seatbacks mentioned in this article over at the GM Heritage Center. Please be advised that the following video on the Pursuit features a Vangelis-esque soundtrack.

Aktifspeedsays:

February 24, 2012 11:15 am

Rick Rothermelsays:

February 24, 2012 11:24 am

Excellent piece on the un-cladded Pontiac show car. Little kmown development re:RoboCop is that he wasn’t supposed to drive a Taurus. Jay Ohrberg, a well-regarded movie car guru based at the time in a retired tire store on Hollywood Bl., was contracted to build a special ride for the hero. Built from 70s Camaros the sleek dark grey cruisers featured a short tunnel-roof, a clamshell hood, and fireboxes at the rear capable of shooting twin 40-foot flames- think a car show exhaust pipe flamethrower with a really bad attitude.

The cars were slammed through the construction process and picked up from Jay’s shop in the transporter that also carried the Gene Winfield ‘6000 SUX sedfans and taken to the film location, IIRC somewhere in Texas.

When they arrived on site it was quickly determined that there was NO WAY that ol’ Chrome Dome could fit inside the incindiary ride. The RoboCruisers were tossed back on the convoy truck for the return trip to LA, returned to Ohrberg’s inventory, next to the 40-foot pink Mercedes roadster limo and obsolete show cars. They were eventually parted out after one was hit by a locomotive in an episode of Super Dave.

Gene Winfield still has one of the 6000 SUXs (70s GM A-body 4-doors) at his desert outpost along with a variety of other movie cars and customs. Y’oughta send Koch for a visit dometime.

Jay’s still at it, now semi-retired, based in Oceanside Ca. and managing his fleet of museum; dwelling show cars. Nice guy, worthy of a story but some of the cars require a strong stomach.

I recall that when Robocop opened huge it was a total shock to everyone involved in its’ creation, and I’m not sure the tricked out hero car would have added to its impact. I still wish it’d been a documentary.

salguodsays:

February 24, 2012 12:35 pm

Raffisays:

February 24, 2012 3:50 pm

If I recall correctly, this was conceptually the work of then intern at GM Pontiac, Nathan Young. Nate, an already highly capable student at Art Center in the mid 1980’s had won the internship and the opportunity to live in Detroit around 1985 or 86. Nearly his entire time there was spent working and developing this car. It is very much a “Nate” car in several respects when viewing his early work.

Nate went on to work at Prince and (I believe) Johnson Controls, working his way up to VP as a respected leader of that organization. He then spent many years as Provost for Art Center, innovating curriculum and college programs.

Like many of the show cars from the car companies, much of the inspiration comes from the young guns who are fresh in the studio – unencumbered by the politics, fear of failure, or loss of job.

Nearly all the best car concepts you see today or yesterday are the result of fearless youth eager to simply build something cool.